How to stay healthy when working from home

Working from home has become the new norm for millions around the world. The lucky few have a dedicated home office, but for many, the choice of workspace is been between the sofa, bed, kitchen or kitchen table. Staying at home is also affecting how much we move during the day. This could be seriously damaging our bodies, affecting our posture, muscles and overall wellbeing.

 

Step away from the couch

Experts all agree that your couch is the worst place to work from for a sustained period, affecting your posture almost immediately. The feeling of comfort they provide also discourages you from moving, making it even worse. If you have any other options, for places to work, such as the kitchen table, choose that one.

 

Using the right equipment

Initial forecasts of a one to two week period of working from home are being extended, with some predicting several months, or even more before people can go back to the office. What this means for employers is that they will need to conduct proper risk assessments of their employees’ working environments to ensure their health and wellbeing is catered for. Without fundamental equipment, there could be a sharp increase in claims from workers who feel their health has been put at risk.

 

This equipment includes:

A keyboard & mouse

Hunched over a laptop can cause serious posture issues, so getting a keyboard and mouse is an instant way to improve your workspace. If you are still able to visit your office, see if you can grab them, or borrow from your home computer if you have one.

 

An adjustable seat

After a mouse and keyboard, an adjustable chair is the most important piece of equipment to reduce health risks. A proper office chair will give your body the correct posture, encourage movement, and improve focus and productivity.

A mouse, keyboard, desk and adjustable chair are key pieces of equipment for a healthy workstation. Featured chair: HÅG Creed

 

Keep moving – at least every half hour

Your body craves movement, and sedentary behaviour is incredibly damaging to our posture and overall wellbeing. When working from home you are much more isolated and have less reason to move, so make sure you discipline yourself to keep moving, at least every half hour. You don’t need to do a full workout, just a few stretches to keep your body moving, especially your spine. If you need to set an alarm, do it – and try and create a routine.

You can even exercise when seated, stretching is a great way to relieve tension in your muscles, especially in your back and neck. Featured: HÅG Capisco

 

Regularly get fresh air

Incorporate fresh air into your movement breaks whenever you can. Step out into your garden or your balcony, or your front doorstep, or simply take a few moments to lean on your window sill and breathe in the fresh air – it will do you wonders.

 

Have lunch in sunlight

Lack of sunlight starves your body of much-needed vitamins, resulting in many issues from bad bones to depression. It’s all too easy to spend every waking minute inside when on lockdown, so if you can take one of your breaks in direct sunlight, such as in the garden or by a big window.

 

Stay in touch

Working from home can be a lonely experience, so make sure you regularly speak to your colleagues, especially those whom you may feel are taking it harder than others. There are loads of online tools to have voice or video calls – make use of them.

 

Exercise

When the workday is over, its still important to keep your body healthy and happy. Reduced movement means now more than ever we should pay attention to taking regular exercise. If you can, take a long walk after or before you start work. You can also take advantage of a multitude of online exercise classes that are popping up all over the world, as fitness professionals offer their services to help people stay active.

Join - Flokk weekly Yoga Class

 

Summary - Healthy working from home

When working from home, its more important than ever to take care of your body, as your home is not often designed to work, follow these quick steps to improve your wellbeing when working from home:

• Sit at a table or desk
• Use a keyboard and mouse
• Use an adjustable office chair
• Move your body every 30 minutes
• Regularly get fresh air and sunlight
• Stay in touch with colleagues
• Exercise daily

 

Make working at home better

At Flokk our wide range of seating solutions all have one thing in common - they are all designed to provide the support your body needs when working, keeping you healthy and happy to "inspire great work". If you are looking at options for yourself or your employees when it comes to home office furniture, we'd be glad to speak to you about what we have to offer. 

 

Click here to find our list of contact addresses, and one of our team will be happy to chat, either by email or via phone, to find out how we can help.